Hot Chicks
Montana, USA – 2022
The VS model Josie Canseco is a regular muse for me in my wild west series; the camera loves her and she knows how I work. This photograph in the Crazy Mountain Ranch near Livingston, Montana was made by a late shaft of evening light giving Josie and the wolf a warm glow and allowing them both to pop out from the saloon behind.
Our shoot in the faux wild west frontier town would not have been possible without the support of Sam Byrne and his team at the Yellowstone Club. Under their ownership, the Crazy Mountain Ranch looks set to have an exciting future and I hope the series of photographs I took that day in February 2022 will find their way onto some walls in the wider Montana area.
AVAILABLE SIZES:
LARGE: Edition of 12
- Image Size: 56” x 81” in (142.24 cm x 205.74 cm)
- Framed Image: 71” x 96” in (180.34 cm x 243.84 cm)
STANDARD: Edition of 12
- Image Size: 37” x 53” in (93.98 cm x 134.62 cm)
- Framed Image: 52” x 68” in (132.08 cm x 172.72 cm)
We ship worldwide and use a multitude of providers to safely deliver your masterpiece. Domestic delivery and installation may also be available via Hilton Asmus Contemporary’s private art shuttle. Please inquire.
The Sheriff's Daughter
Montana, USA – 2022
The intricate layout for this picture was preconceived before I went to bed the previous night. I knew that as soon as the sun rose above the buildings the light would be too harsh to work and that there could be no time for compositional pondering during the shoot. The camera angle needed flat light not aggressive shadows and the weather forecast suggested that we would need to be finished no later than 8.15 am.
So, it was cold conditions when the cast began assembling at 6.15am. Josie Canseco – a girl I often use in shoots – is tough and she showed it that morning. We know each other well and we can swear at each other without offence. It was minus 20 degrees on set and she wasn’t wearing much but that is how Josie rolls. I like familiarity; to call on new talent that I did not know for a shoot like this would have been commercial suicide.
We did indeed wrap by 8.10am, just before the sun started to dart around the set. This photograph is a keeper. I can look at it for a long time without losing interest and that is always my acid test. There was so much information to include in one still frame without losing Josie’s sovereignty and we all needed to work very quickly because I was racing against the rising sun. The whole team did a great job that day.
I do think Westerns have been too male dominated, almost to the point of parody, and in my anthology to the Wild West, there is much more of a balance. We have, however, been most selective with the women we have used. They have all been blockbuster women with presence, intelligence and attitude; no more so than the Sheriff’s daughter in this image.
But I am making no major point in this image; I am having fun and telling stories. There are no lofty ambitions other than to entertain and execute well.
AVAILABLE SIZES:
LARGE: Edition of 12
- Image Size: 44” x 103" in (111.76 cm x 261.62 cm)
- Framed Image: 59” x 118” in (149.86 cm x 299.72 cm)
STANDARD: Edition of 12
- Image Size: 30” x 69” in (76.2 cm x 175.26 cm)
- Framed Image: 45” x 84” in (114.3 cm x 213.36 cm)
We ship worldwide and use a multitude of providers to safely deliver your masterpiece. Domestic delivery and installation may also be available via Hilton Asmus Contemporary’s private art shuttle. Please inquire.
The Residents
Montana, USA – 2022
I just can’t bring myself to drift from my default position of wanting wild west saloon images to be long of menace. I see no reason to introduce a mood of levity and laughter as these were bad ass days in loosely governed frontier towns marooned in the middle of nowhere. With alcohol and women came danger, perhaps it was always so. Of course, I am being postmodern and playful with the composed close ups; almost to the point of being cartoonish. But why dumb things down when we are simply telling stories.
On this set, high in the Crazy Mountains of Montana, we cast three of my favourite cowboys – Ty Mitchell and Ryan Marshall from West Texas and Mad Jack from Virginia City, Montana. Ty became an extra for Scorsese last year and I can see exactly why. The girls – Erica Lawrence from New York and Josie Canseco from LA – complemented them well.
But it is the big black wolf who steals the show and lifts the photograph. The light was negligible so there was no margin for error, but so long as I managed one sharp picture I knew the subdued lighting would add to the mood. This is a dangerous place where, during a storm induced lock in, anything could happen.
The weird thing is, everyone wants to go into that bar right now – what could possibly go wrong?
AVAILABLE SIZES:
LARGE: Edition of 12 + 3 AP
- Image Size: 56” x 84” in (142.24 cm x 213.36 cm)
- Framed Image: 71” x 99” in (180.34 cm x 251.46 cm)
STANDARD: ALL EDITIONS ALLOCATED OR SOLD. Please contact us for more details.
- Image Size: 37” x 56” in (93.98 cm x 142.24 cm)
- Framed Image: 52” x 71” in (132.08 cm x 180.34 cm)
We ship worldwide and use a multitude of providers to safely deliver your masterpiece. Domestic delivery and installation may also be available via Hilton Asmus Contemporary’s private art shuttle. Please inquire.
The Quick and the Dead
Montana, USA – 2022
In my experience, the most visually pleasing single street wild west towns in America are found in the states of California, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and Montana. There are no real secrets here, which is why film studios tend to focus on five or six specific locations.
There is a skew in my work towards shooting in Montana for two reasons: firstly, I have a far more established network of contacts and friends in Western Montana than in the states further south who can all help me find extras or indeed sometimes jump onto set themselves; secondly our Montana locations are exposed to the highest snowfalls and I like to work in the snow, it simply adds another layer of narrative, especially in monochrome images.
This photograph, shot near the Crazy Mountain at the old Marlboro Ranch in Montana, incorporates the greatest number of extras I have had on set during a shoot – about 120 all in. The logistics in the cold are challenging and then the execution of the idea requires precision as I want to see as many faces as possible and I want those faces to have a collective attitude. It seemed necessary to have women and children in the scene as if the whole town was watching the shoot out – this would not be a male dominated western vignette.
In order for the concept to have symmetry, I needed to incorporate the buildings on both sides of the street and this is where – at the margin – this location is the best I know because the street is narrow enough for a wide panoramic.
I always say to the cast ahead of workdays involving many people, that all it takes is one person to be looking the wrong way or behaving oddly for the photograph to be ruined. They are all being paid to focus and concentrate for no more than five minutes during the day, but those are a big five minutes. The cast that day from old to young were brilliant and that is why this photograph works.
There is a lot going on in this work – which is why I love seeing it in as large a format as possible.
AVAILABLE SIZES:
LARGE: Edition of 12 + 3 AP
- Image size: 52” x 102” in (132.08 cm x 259.08 cm)
- Framed Image size: 67” x 117” in (170.18 cm x 297.18 cm)
STANDARD: Edition of 12 + 3 AP
- Image size: 37” x 72” in (93.98 cm x 182.88 cm)
- Framed Image size: 52” x 87" in (132.08 cm x 220.98 cm)
We ship worldwide and use a multitude of providers to safely deliver your masterpiece. Domestic delivery and installation may also be available via Hilton Asmus Contemporary’s private art shuttle. Please inquire.
True North
Iceland – 2022
I suspect that all those who have found themselves in Vestrahorn on the Stokksnes peninsula of south east Iceland experienced an initial sensory overload. I certainly did and having been spoilt by my experiences on this planet, it takes quite something to leave me speechless.
The mountain range rises almost vertically from the black beach below and falls away symmetrically on each side creating an astonishing vista. This in an arena where many an Icelandic saga has been played out in the minds of creatives.
The dome like sand dunes nestling below Vestrahorn have been owned by the same Icelandic farming family for several generations. Our production team – the excellent True North – had secured us access both to the land and their Icelandic horses who play out their lives in this most majestic of settings.
The goal was to shoot with snow on the ground and snow on the mountains as I knew this could offer a further sense of mythology. I am always greedy with my visuals and I wanted a sense of the cold.
But the day before the planned shoot, the temperature rose above freezing and my canvas on the ground melted quickly. We went to bed hoping for some luck and whilst it started to snow at dawn, my concern was then that the mountain would not be visible. As we rushed out to the predetermined location, the clouds started to lift and provided the farmer could work his magic with the horse we had identified as our star, there was a chance.
This photograph has a sense of place and that was always my goal in Iceland. My work must play homage to the majesty and rawness of the land. It is a place like no other.
AVAILABLE SIZES:
LARGE: Edition of 12
- Image Size: 54” x 101” in (137.16 cm x 256.54 cm)
- Framed Image: 69” x 116” in (175.26 cm x 294.64 cm)
STANDARD: Edition of 12
- Image Size: 37” x 69” in (93.98 cm x 175.26 cm)
- Framed Image: 52” x 84” in (132.08 cm x 213.36 cm)
We ship worldwide and use a multitude of providers to safely deliver your masterpiece. Domestic delivery and installation may also be available via Hilton Asmus Contemporary’s private art shuttle. Please inquire.
Cloud Nine
Aspen, Colorado, USA – 2022
Sitting proudly at 11,000 ft up in the sky, Cloud 9 is the infamous Aspen mountain bar/restaurant that hosts riotous parties during the winter season. The ski run down the hill is often complicated by the amount of alcohol consumed before revelers are reunited with their skis.
Aspen is Shangri-La to both seasoned visitors and residents and Cloud 9, with its dramatic location and reputation for glamour and excess, is a part of the jigsaw making Aspen the most famous Ski resort in the world.
My plan was to film up at Cloud 9 and style it in 1970s clothing as a nod to a period when Aspen really established its reputation as a bohemian paradise for the chic and the celebrated.
I booked two great girls – Brooks Nader – a high energy, live-wire who has worked with me over the last couple of years and then the wonderful Brazilian – Alessandra Ambrosio – the queen of fashion shows and modelling for the last 15 years. She is a joy to work with and has a fun and unassuming disposition despite her fame. There are few models working today that are as loved and respected as Alessandra.
The only problem was that we needed to shoot early in the day before the slopes opened and the day was fixed. We woke up to a blizzard and freezing temperatures.
I think adaptation and flexibility are core to what we do. Perhaps my middle name should be changed to “PLAN B”. I saw the snow as an opportunity not a threat and worked the conditions into the narrative. It was the right call.
All those familiar with Cloud 9 will, I think, smile when they see this photograph. Alessandra was magnificent, as I knew she would be.
AVAILABLE SIZES:
LARGE: Edition of 12
- Image Size: 56” x 96” in (142.24 cm x 243.84 cm)
- Framed Image: 71” x 111” in (180.34 cm x 281.94 cm)
STANDARD: Edition of 12
- Image Size: 37” x 64” in (93.98 cm x 162.56 cm)
- Framed Image: 52” x 79” in (132.08 cm x 200.66 cm)
We ship worldwide and use a multitude of providers to safely deliver your masterpiece. Domestic delivery and installation may also be available via Hilton Asmus Contemporary’s private art shuttle. Please inquire.
And the Party Never Ends
Monument Valley, Utah, USA- 2022
Such is the grandeur and scale of Monument Valley that at almost every corner there is something of a sensory overload. The amphitheater, for all its majesty, also has a sense of incompleteness, as if God the creator got a little bored of building the city and moved on to other projects. The result is an architectural canvas unlike any other in the world.
I knew one angle where I could compress distance and fill one of the gaps in this city of monoliths with foreground detail. We had an old VW camper van on set and somehow or other we managed to drive it to the predetermined horizon not far from where John Wayne was filmed in The Searchers. There was a distinct slope on this patch of ground and I warmed to the impact it had on the frame.
It was then up to the girls. I fancy they had enjoyed a few tequilas on the road up from the wonderfully named Mexican Hat and there were no inhibitions. They didn’t need to act; they were already very much in the prescribed hippy vibe.
When we woke up that day, I had no idea that we would end the shoot with an image like this. I love it because it is uplifting and fun. It speaks to me as a portrait of Americana – the land of carefree road trips.
The road goes on forever and the party never ends.
AVAILABLE SIZES:
LARGE: Edition of 12
- Image Size: 56” x 80” in (142.24 cm x 203.2 cm)
- Framed Image: 71” x 95” in (180.34 cm x 241.3 cm)
STANDARD: Edition of 12
- Image Size: 37” x 53” in (93.98 cm x 134.62 cm)
- Framed Image: 52” x 68” in (132.08 cm x 172.72 cm)
We ship worldwide and use a multitude of providers to safely deliver your masterpiece. Domestic delivery and installation may also be available via Hilton Asmus Contemporary’s private art shuttle. Please inquire.
Aspen, Baby
Aspen, Colorado, USA – 2022
Sometimes, when working with a global star such as Alessandra Ambrosio, my inclination is to lean on simplicity and not worry about being too expansive in the wider narrative. She is the main event, not the snapper behind the lens, and the photograph should look out, not in. There are moments to show deep deference to those with whom you have the fortune to work and those are often my favourite moments.
That morning, high up at 11,000 feet at Aspen’s legendary Cloud Nine, we had to deal with an 8am blizzard. But from 5 am wake up call, I saw the falling snow as an opportunity not a threat. Meanwhile, Alessandra had been brilliantly styled in 1970s ski clothing and looked sensational although I knew she would be feeling the cold. This was not her natural habitat, but she is very smart and able to play to a prescribed role even though Cloud Nine in the winter is a long way from her home beaches in Brazil.
The simple portrait is of a beautiful girl. She happens to be at a famous place high in the Rockies in a snowstorm. Her clothing is a nod to Aspen’s coming of age in the 1970s. I don’t think we need anything more to grab and hold attention; there is a clear vibe. Aspen baby.
AVAILABLE SIZES:
LARGE: Edition of 12
- Image Size: 61” x 56” in (154.94 cm x 142.24 cm)
- Framed Image: 76” x 71” in (193.04 cm x 180.34 cm)
STANDARD: Edition of 12
- Image Size: 40” x 37” in (101.6 cm x 93.98 cm)
- Framed Image: 55” x 52" in (139.7 cm x 132.08 cm)
We ship worldwide and use a multitude of providers to safely deliver your masterpiece. Domestic delivery and installation may also be available via Hilton Asmus Contemporary’s private art shuttle. Please inquire.
Summer of '75 (Colour)
Los Angeles, California – 2022
Spielberg once said “a good idea almost always starts off as a bad idea, that’s why it takes so long”.
I am drawn to filming road stories as the road can direct the viewer and the implicit journey is an allegory of the journey of life; we are all on our own road trip.
Sunset Boulevard does not split landscapes with the majesty and grandeur of the deserts of the South West, but it is up there for me as one of the most exciting stretches of road in America. It is the heart of movie land and the massive billboards on the strip in West Hollywood leave the driver in no doubt that they are in the entertainment capital of the world.
My favourite filming location on the boulevard is looking west on the border of West Hollywood and Hollywood. In part because I can give a nod to one of the most famous hotels in the world without killing the compositional balance and in part because the famous vertical billboard, so often used by Marlboro in the old days, is in the heart of the image.
It is a special part of Americana and I am surprised that American icons have not been filmed more often in this location. I guess one reason is that it’s a very busy road and shutting it down for filming is not easy.
The idea of shooting here needed work and refinement. We needed a lead, we needed to close the road down and then we needed a creative idea around which to wrap everything. My choice of lead was easy; Cindy Crawford is made for this shot. The closure of the road restricted our window to a Sunday morning between sunrise and 8 am, which meant a 4.30 am wake up. But Cindy is the most punctual, professional and willing of all the stars with whom we work.
The creative processing was the key. I decided that we could go back in time to an era when Hollywood was free rolling, liberal and fun and all the props would emphatically play to that moment in time. It was the love and peace summer of 1975.
Cindy’s team of stylist Nicole Allowitz; hair stylist Pete Savic and make up star Sam Visser are one hell of a crew and she looked absolutely fantastic. My job is easy with her on board and as always, we had a blast. I wanted a mid 70s vibe and Cindy’s team and my production team delivered.
I am pleased that one of the greatest films of all time – Jaws – takes care of the Marlboro billboard. As its iconic director said “good ideas take time”.
AVAILABLE SIZES:
LARGE: Edition of 20 + 3 AP
- Image Size: 56” x 70” in (142.24 cm x 177.8 cm)
- Framed Image: 71” x 85” in (180.34 cm x 215.9 cm)
STANDARD: Edition of 20 + 3 AP
- Image Size: 37” x 46” in (93.98 cm x 116.84 cm)
- Framed Image: 52” x 61" in (132.08 cm x 154.94 cm)
We ship worldwide and use a multitude of providers to safely deliver your masterpiece. Domestic delivery and installation may also be available via Hilton Asmus Contemporary’s private art shuttle. Please inquire.
Summer of '75
Los Angeles, California – 2022
Spielberg once said “a good idea almost always starts off as a bad idea, that’s why it takes so long”.
I am drawn to filming road stories as the road can direct the viewer and the implicit journey is an allegory of the journey of life; we are all on our own road trip.
Sunset Boulevard does not split landscapes with the majesty and grandeur of the deserts of the South West, but it is up there for me as one of the most exciting stretches of road in America. It is the heart of movie land and the massive billboards on the strip in West Hollywood leave the driver in no doubt that they are in the entertainment capital of the world.
My favourite filming location on the boulevard is looking west on the border of West Hollywood and Hollywood. In part because I can give a nod to one of the most famous hotels in the world without killing the compositional balance and in part because the famous vertical billboard, so often used by Marlboro in the old days, is in the heart of the image.
It is a special part of Americana and I am surprised that American icons have not been filmed more often in this location. I guess one reason is that it’s a very busy road and shutting it down for filming is not easy.
The idea of shooting here needed work and refinement. We needed a lead, we needed to close the road down and then we needed a creative idea around which to wrap everything. My choice of lead was easy; Cindy Crawford is made for this shot. The closure of the road restricted our window to a Sunday morning between sunrise and 8 am, which meant a 4.30 am wake up. But Cindy is the most punctual, professional and willing of all the stars with whom we work.
The creative processing was the key. I decided that we could go back in time to an era when Hollywood was free rolling, liberal and fun and all the props would emphatically play to that moment in time. It was the love and peace summer of 1975.
Cindy’s team of stylist Nicole Allowitz; hair stylist Pete Savic and make up star Sam Visser are one hell of a crew and she looked absolutely fantastic. My job is easy with her on board and as always, we had a blast. I wanted a mid 70s vibe and Cindy’s team and my production team delivered.
I am pleased that one of the greatest films of all time – Jaws – takes care of the Marlboro billboard. As its iconic director said “good ideas take time”.
AVAILABLE SIZES:
LARGE: Edition of 20 + 3 AP
- Image Size: 56” x 70” in (142.24 cm x 177.8 cm)
- Framed Image: 71” x 85” in (180.34 cm x 215.9 cm)
STANDARD: Edition of 20 + 3 AP
- Image Size: 37” x 46” in (93.98 cm x 116.84 cm)
- Framed Image: 52” x 61" in (132.08 cm x 154.94 cm)
We ship worldwide and use a multitude of providers to safely deliver your masterpiece. Domestic delivery and installation may also be available via Hilton Asmus Contemporary’s private art shuttle. Please inquire.